A Time to Heal
by Freckled Angel 11
Summary: Nothing in Peter's life has ever been fair. Why should he expect that to change? When everything is falling apart, who will be there to pick up the pieces? Who can save him when life hits him with one challenge after another? T for Language ON HIATUS
1. Chapter 1

**SPOILERS! Do not read if you have not seen Infinity War, Endgame, or Homecoming. **

**A/N: I know, I know… I have other stories to finish. And I do want to finish them, but I'm just a little stuck. Don't fret… the inspiration is likely to come back.**

**This story takes place as if Far From Home never happened. Don't get me wrong, I LOVED that movie. It's probably my favorite Spider-Man movie of all time (Closely followed by Homecoming). However, I needed to act as if those events did not occur in order for this story to work.**

**This story will take place in two parts. Originally, I planned a prologue; however, that was too long. Thus, you will be getting this story in two parts. I know exactly where I want this to go, so… sit back and enjoy. If you do not wish to see my inspiration run out, please leave me your lovely reviews. Those feed my imagination and inspire me to no end. Thank you to all of you who favorite and follow my stories. I hope I do not disappoint you with this one.**

**CONTEXT: This is meant to take place about 2 months after Tony's death in Endgame. FFH events are not relevant in this story. This is an AU version of the Endgame aftermath. **

**PART 1: Surprises Aren't Always Pleasant**

Chapter 1: It's Not Fair

Peter was in his room, relishing the peacefulness that came with that space. HOME.

It felt so good to be home. It was safe and familiar here.

Apparently, Tony had continued to pay the rent on the apartment, even after Peter and May both disappeared. And that… that thought alone… the disappearing… was bad enough. They had completely disappeared for five years.

Five years!

What in the actual hell was that about? When did it even become possible for people to cease to exist for FIVE. WHOLE. YEARS?!

That was just one of many things that made his life unfair.

Just one.

Because it wasn't enough to just _disappear_. Nope. They DUSTED away! Bad. Very bad! B.A.D.

And yet, do you know what was worse? Peter remembered it! He _remembered_ dusting away. He remembered the _FEELING_ of turning into dust. No one else remembered, but Peter did. He supposed it was largely thanks to his enhanced abilities. That ability/sucker punch must have been in the fine print of the superhero manual. Okay, so there wasn't actually a superhero manual. But… Peter had no doubt that the words, _"heroes will suffer more than the average human"_ would definitely be somewhere in the fine print if a manual did exist.

Peter pulled his knees up to his chest, hugging them tightly as he rested his head atop his knees. He squeezed his eyes shut, fighting the images that floated through his memory. Peter recalled the feeling as the cells of his body were ripped apart. He remembered trying desperately to hold onto Mr. Stark. He remembered how scared his mentor looked. He remembered how guilty he felt for scaring the man. He felt so guilty that he even apologized before fading from existence completely.

And those memories… not fair!

And yet… he and May came back! Peter finally got his chance to fight alongside of the Avengers… and as a member of the team no less! The battle was epic! One for the ages! It would go down in history! Peter was part of that history! That should surely make things better, right?

WRONG! So Wrong!

As amazing as that battle story should be. It was perhaps the part that was MOST unfair.

And why?

Well, let's start with how that battle came to be, shall we?

The Avengers traveled back in time. _Awesome_!

Mr. Stark helped to make that time travel possible. _Amazing_!

The team pulled the Infinity Stones out of the past in order to use a gauntlet of their own. _Astronomical_!

Black Widow sacrificed her life in order for the team to get one of those stones. _Awful_!

And 100% _not fair_! Natasha Romanoff deserved to be in that final battle.

Not fair at all!

Did it end there? Nope!

Peter felt a tear slide down his face because this next part crushed his spirit back into dust. Thanos somehow managed to break through time and come into the future in an attempt to destroy everything… again.

And, of course, the solution to this problem was someone _else_ snapping their fingers.

The one solution out of 14,000,605.

Thanos and his army dusted away. Poetic justice, really. The Giant Purple People Eater totally deserved that.

But the person who snapped his fingers did _NOT_ deserve to die.

More tears rolled down Peter's cheeks. Mr. Stark DID NOT deserve to die!

Not fair… Not Fair… NOT FAIR!

Peter deserved more time with his mentor. They didn't get enough time together! How could a solution involving time travel take away precious time Peter could've had with Tony Stark? How?

_Not fair!_

Nothing about this life was fair!

And this didn't even include the shit show that was his life prior to dusting away! Losing his parents, watching Uncle Ben die, nearly getting people killed in the ferry incident, breaking Liz's heart by putting her dad in jail…

Guess what? _NOT. FAIR._

Peter huffed out his breath in annoyance. He threw his head back and smacked it on his head board. It was a small price to pay, really. He deserved more punishment than just smacking his own head. He leaned forward and threw his head back again.

_Ouch_. That one made a cloud of white dance in front of his eyes. Hmm… at least that was better than the image of Mr. Stark's burned face. He leaned forward, preparing to throw himself back once again. Maybe he could just knock himself out?

"Peter?" May called from outside of his bedroom door. "Honey, are you alright? What was that sound?"

Peter froze, stopping himself. It had been a bad idea anyway.

He watched as May opened his door. "Peter?" She called again, poking her head inside and looking at him.

"Yeah?" He asked dumbly. His arms were still wrapped around his knees, so he let go and attempted to fix himself into a relaxed position.

May wasn't fooled. She gave him a worried look as she stepped into his room. "Are you alright?" she asked, eyeing him dubiously.

"I'm fine," Peter told her. "Totally fine." He used his hands to gesture down at himself. "I'm in one piece, see? Nothing to worry about here."

May frowned as she walked up to him. She raised a hand to his cheek and brushed at the wetness left behind by his tears. She gave him a rueful smile, "Oh really, tough guy? You sure you're totally fine?"

Peter gave a sad laugh and looked up at her own sad eyes. "I'm as fine as I can be right now, Aunt May. I'm sorry… this is just as good as it gets… at least for right now."

May nodded at him and motioned for him to scoot over. She nestled next to him, wrapping her arms tightly around him. It was like she was holding onto him for dear life. "At least we have _now_." She told him. "We may not have _then_ but we do have _now_."

Peter nodded quietly in understanding. They missed five years. They were plucked from the past and plopped back into the world five years later. They could never go back and live through those years, but his aunt was right… they had now.

He could feel his aunt's eyes on him, studying him carefully. She sighed, "You miss him."

It wasn't a question. She didn't need to ask.

Peter swallowed past the lump that threatened to form in his throat. He nodded, "I do."

May took a deep breath, "You still have me, sweetheart." She hugged him tighter, "I'm right here."

Peter lifted a hand and clutched one of the arms she had wrapped around him. "I love you, May," he told her.

She squeezed him a little, "I larb you, too." They laughed, still enjoying the joke so many years later.

They sat like that for awhile, holding each other. Each one enjoying the solid (and not at all dusty) presence of the other. They stayed that way until Peter's phone buzzed next to him.

May loosened her grip and leaned over to look at the caller ID. She frowned a little, "Happy?" She spoke the name in the form of a question, wondering why the man was calling. "What do you think he needs?" Her voice wasn't annoyed or frustrated. It held a genuine air of curiosity. The man hadn't called since Stark's funeral, so she wondered what would make him reach out to her nephew now.

Peter sent the call to voicemail, and he didn't miss the way his aunt's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Probably just Spider-Man stuff," he told her.

She frowned again, "I thought you liked the Spider-Man stuff."

Peter shrugged, "I'm taking a break." He lifted his eyes towards his closet. He could see both suits there… both made by a man he would never see again. He just couldn't bring himself to put them on, and wearing his own homemade uniform seemed like an insult to the man's memory. So, he supposed Spider-Man was taking a little vacation.

May hugged him. She didn't need Peter to clarify. She knew him well enough to know what he was thinking. "I'm sorry, Peter. I know this is hard."

_It's not fair!_

"I'll be fine, May," he said simply.

"You will," she confirmed. "But it's okay if you're not fine right now. You know that, right?"

Peter felt tears well up in his eyes again. He gripped his aunt a little tighter, "It's not fair," he told her, finally voicing the words out loud.

"I know, sweetheart," She choked out, fighting her own tears. "I know."

* * *

Peter wasn't sure how much time passed. They held each other for quite awhile before Peter's stomach growled in annoyance. He needed to eat.

May laughed a little. "You wanna go out to eat? We could get some Thai," She suggested.

Peter thought for a minute, "I don't really feel like going out. Could we just order something for delivery?"

May smiled and moved to get up from laying next to him on the bed. She patted his leg gently as she stood and said, "Sounds like a plan to me. What are you in the mood for?"

He smiled a little. "I think that new shawarma place delivers through Grubhub," he suggested, thinking once again of his mentor. Eating shawarma felt like some small way to honor the man.

"Perfect," May smiled. "Why don't you place the order? You know I'm not too good at using those App Thingys."

Peter chuckled at her and picked up his phone, "No problem."

Peter was about to place the order, but the expected delivery time was less than favorable. What did he expect? It was a Friday night, after all. He also supposed everyone else was just as eager to order from the new delivery place. He told May about the problem.

She looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well… I want shawarma, too. I'll call them. We probably won't have to wait so long if we pick it up. It's not far. I can go get it."

Peter frowned, "We can just pick another…"

May cut him off, "...I'm already calling them."

Peter shook his head, listening as his aunt placed the order for pick up. He was so drained. Almost two months after the battle and he still felt exhausted. It seemed so strange. He had no idea his emotions could take so much out of him.

He was starting to doze off when May stepped back into the room. "You're tired," she commented, stating the obvious.

"Mmm Hmm," Peter confirmed, continuing to rest his eyes.

"Okay… the food should be ready in about 20 minutes, and it'll take me about 10-15 minutes to walk there," May said.

Peter's eyes shot open, "Walk? Why don't you just drive?"

May scoffed and waved her hand dismissively, "On a Friday? No way! I'll never find parking. Besides, the walk will do me some good."

Peter made a move to get up, "I'll come with you."

"Absolutely not! I'm a big girl, Peter. I can walk a few blocks to get us some dinner." She put a hand to his shoulder, giving him a slight push back down on his bed.

Peter frowned, "Why can't I come?" He basically answered his own question when he yawned after asking it.

May quirked an eyebrow at him, "Because you haven't been sleeping well, and I want you to rest a little. When I come back, we'll eat and have a movie night. How does that sound?"

Peter attempted to stifle another yawn, "May… I don't mind…"

"... How does that sound?" she asked again, emphasizing each word.

He understood her meaning. Her words really meant, _"I'm not letting you come with me, so keep your ass in that bed."_ Peter gave a small laugh, "That sounds great, May."

She smiled in triumph, "Good. I'm going to go now. If we're lucky, they'll have our order ready early." She stepped forward and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead, brushing away some stray curls from his brown hair.

Peter breathed deeply, drinking in the scent of vanilla and strawberries that lingered from her shampoo and body wash. She smelled like home and it warmed his heart, making him feel safe. He thought perhaps he might just be able to rest after all. May was always able to chase away the worst of his nightmares, and he was grateful. "Okay, May. Love you. See you soon," he told her.

"Love you too, tough guy," She told him.

Peter let his eyes drift closed, listening to the sounds of his aunt as she gathered up her keys and purse. The last thing he heard her say before exiting the apartment was, "See you in a bit."

She closed the door behind her, and Peter finally let himself rest.

* * *

Peter was startled awake by the sound of loud knocking on the door to the apartment. He sat up and rubbed his eyes furiously. Had May forgotten her keys? He could've sworn he heard her pick them up before she left. Maybe her hands were full.

He swung his legs off the bed and picked up his phone. "Coming, May!" He called. Peter clicked the button on his phone. The screen lit up and displayed the time: 10:47 pm. WHAT?! No way it had taken May that long! What time was it when she left? Wasn't it like 6:30 or 7:00? Did she come back and let him sleep? "MAY?!" Peter called. It wouldn't take her that long! She must have let him sleep.

There was more knocking at the door. Peter looked around the kitchen, desperate for a sign that May had come home with food.

There was no sign of her. A cold chill ran up and down his spine, and his heart dropped into his stomach. Something was very wrong.

There was another knock. This time, the knock was accompanied with the words, "Hello? NYPD! Anyone home?"

Peter froze. He stared at the door. His heart beat wildly in his chest.

_Notgoodnotgoodnotgoodnotgood._ The words echoed through his brain in rhythm with the rapid beating of his heart.

More knocking.

Peter willed his feet to move forward. He had to know. Slowly, he unlocked and opened up the door, peering out to see the concerned faces of two NYPD officers.

Both officers looked fairly young, one male and one female. Peter didn't speak. He waited for them to speak instead.

"Hey, kid," The male officer said. "We're looking for Peter Parker."

Peter didn't speak. He just continued to stare.

The officers looked at each other. The female cleared her throat, "I'm Officer Janko… this is Officer Reagan. Are you Peter?"

Peter could only nod in confirmation.

"May we come in?" Officer Reagan asked.

Peter's breath came quickly, "Is this… My aunt's not home." The panic was steadily rising.

Reagan nodded. "May we come in, Peter?" He asked again.

"What's going on?" He choked out.

"Peter, I think it would be better if we could sit down and talk. Would that be alright with you?" Janko tried.

Peter shook his head. Nope. This was bad. "My aunt's not home right now. You should come back when she's here." Because she was definitely coming home. She probably saw someone she knew. They were talking or something. She lost track of time. She was coming home.

The officers looked at one another again. "Is your aunt May Parker?" Reagan asked.

Peter's heart stopped. He had to remind himself to breathe. "Y- yes," he stuttered out.

Janko stepped forward, attempting to give the door a gentle push in hopes of moving inside. Peter let her push the door open. "Kid… May we please come in?" She asked again, stepping carefully forward without waiting for an answer.

Peter nodded slightly, stepping aside to finally let them enter.

Officer Reagan motioned towards the living room furniture. "How about we take a seat?" he suggested.

Peter finally made it to the couch, sitting on the edge of the cushion. He noticed that the officers didn't actually sit. Denying the inevitable, he rambled out, "Am I in trouble? I was tired and fell asleep. My aunt went out to pick up some food. She must be running late… or I slept too long. Um… I'm sure she'll be back any minute." Peter glanced at his phone and had a sudden idea, "I'll just give her a call…"

He was about to call her when Janko raised her hand up and stopped him. "You don't need to do that, Peter. You're not in trouble. We… um… actually wanted to talk to you about May."

Peter swallowed, "Is she… is she alright?"

Officer Reagan stepped forward, kneeling down so that he was eye level with him. "I'm really sorry we have to tell you this, Peter. There was an accident."

Peter could hear his heart pounding in his ears, "Accident? What kind of accident? She- she wasn't even driving. She didn't th- think she could g- get parking." Peter's voice shook. He knew. Somehow he knew, but he didn't want them to say it.

Janko knelt down by her partner. "There was a drunk driver, Peter. He lost control of his car and went up onto the sidewalk. People scrambled to get out of the way, but…"

A soft sob escaped from Peter's mouth, "But… but… she'll be okay? You took her to the hospital, right? She'll be fine!"

Janko's mouth opened and closed, looking like a fish out of water.

Reagan continued, "She is at the hospital, Peter. We can take you to see her, kid. But… I'm sorry. She didn't…"

"...DON'T!" Peter cut him off. "No! Please… don't… don't tell me she's gone! Please!" He begged, watching as the officers looked guilty and sympathetic. The looks of those tasked with delivering the worst news in the world. "She's all that I have left… pl- please!"

"She didn't make it, Peter," Janko finally said, not wanting to drag things out any longer and needing the truth to be spoken. "We're so sorry. You were listed as her emergency contact."

Peter choked out a few more sobs and shook his head, not wanting to believe them.

Reagan put a hand on Peter's shoulder, startling him a little. Peter looked up, grateful for the warm and caring look in the man's eyes. "Is there anyone we can call for you, Peter?"

She was all he had left. _NOT FAIR!_

He was about to tell them that there was no one else in the world for him to call when he noticed the screen on his phone lit up once again. _"3 Missed Calls from Happy."_

"Happy," Peter choked out.

He didn't fail to notice the looks of confusion the faces of the officers in front of him. The name was uncommon, and they were likely stunned to hear a grieving teenager suddenly say a word so opposite of his present emotions.

"Mr. Hogan," Peter clarified. "H-Happy Hogan."

* * *

**A/N: That was evil. Sorry! I need to tear Peter apart so that all the king's horses and all the king's men can help to put him back together again! Because nursery rhymes are perfect for justification. Obviously. *Cough***

**Anyone catch the reference with the Police Officers? I haven't watched the show in awhile, but I always loved their partnership. **

**Please review and tell me what you think! Love y'all 3000! **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Marvel owns them. Please review and tell me how I'm doing as I borrow them. **

Chapter 2: That's Unexpected

Happy Hogan did not understand this kid. Was Peter trying to get revenge for all the times Happy refused to answer his calls? Surely, the kid must know that he was calling for a reason.

He didn't leave any voicemails. There was too much to explain, and the kid had to pick up sooner or later.

"Did you get a hold of the kid?" Pepper asked him, walking over to join him.

"He's ghosting me," Happy told her with a frown. He studied her for a moment. "Where's the squirt?" he asked, referring to Morgan.

Pepper smiled, "I finally got her down! It was so hard to convince her to sleep." She looked at a clock on the wall. "It's almost 5:00 am! God… I hope she sleeps for awhile."

Happy shrugged, "Jet lag is hard enough for the adults." He stifled a yawn.

"It's probably… what? Almost 11 pm back in New York? I find it hard to believe the kid would be sleeping this early on a weekend," Pepper commented.

Happy frowned, "I knew I should've gotten his aunt's number."

Pepper smirked, "Getting a hold of the kid isn't the only reason you wanted her number."

A blush rose on the man's face, but he didn't deny it. "We need to get him over here," Happy told her, changing the subject.

"You think his aunt will have an issue with him coming to Wakanda? She just got him back," Pepper said thoughtfully.

Happy shrugged, "She disappeared, too. They both got each other back, I guess. Or… they're adjusting to being back. I'm not really sure what that must be like for them."

A distant look filled Pepper's eyes, "It wasn't great for us, either."

"True," Happy agreed. Before he continued, his phone began to ring. He looked at the caller ID and smiled, "Finally!" He pressed the button to answer the call. "I thought we were friends, kid. Why are you ghosting me?"

Silence on the other end.

"Kid?" Happy frowned, throwing a concerned look at Pepper as he spoke into the phone. He took a few steps, thinking it could be the signal. "Peter? Can you hear me?"

_"Y- yeah,"_ Peter finally said.

Happy's frown deepened. Peter's voice didn't sound right. Something was wrong. "You alright, kid? You sick or something?" He asked.

The was some sniffling and choking on the other end, and Happy suddenly realized that Peter was crying.

"Shit! Peter! Where are you? Are you patrolling? Are you hurt?" A million possibilities flooded through Happy's mind. None of them were good. The last time Peter cried like this, someone had died. Tony had died. _Oh no!_ "Kid?"

There was some shuffling before another male voice spoke on the other end of the phone. _"Am I speaking with Happy Hogan?"_ The voice asked.

"Who the hell are you?!" Happy demanded. "What have you done to the kid? Put him back on the phone!"

_"Take it easy, sir! My name is Officer Reagan with the NYPD. My partner and I are with Peter right now."_

"NYPD?" Happy asked, noticing the concern on Pepper's face as she looked at him. He pulled the phone away from his ear and pressed speaker so that Pepper could hear the conversation.

_"Yes, sir. I'm afraid there's been an accident. May Parker was killed early this evening when struck by a vehicle. When we asked who we could call for him, he mentioned you."_

Happy was speechless. May was dead? And Peter told the police to call him? He looked to Pepper for help and could see how the color had drained from her face. The poor kid.

_"Sir? Are you still there?"_ Reagan asked.

"Uh… yeah… um… I'm just… Was the kid hurt?" Happy spat out.

_"He was at home when it happened."_ It was quiet for a moment._ "The kid seems like he's really beating himself up for not being with her, but there was nothing he could've done."_

Happy scrubbed a hand over his face. That sounded like Peter. He was the poster child for self-blame and guilt. "Damn it!" Happy cursed. "What… um… What do you know me to do?"

_"Would you be able to meet us at the hospital in Queens? We're going to need him to identify the body, so I'm sure he'd appreciate some support,"_ Reagan told him.

"Shit!" Happy cursed. "Sorry..." he apologized. He hadn't intended to say that out loud. "Um… I'm out of the country on business right now, but I have some friends who could get me back there by morning." He'd beg T'Challa to let him use the jet if necessary.

_"Hmm… Do you know of anyone else who might be able to meet him at the hospital?" Reagan asked. "We'll gladly wait with him, but… it might be easier if he knows someone."_

Happy tried to remember the name of Peter's friend. "Ask him about his best friend… um… Fred… Ted… NED! Ask him if Ned or his mother might be available until I can get there," Happy suggested.

_"Ned? Okay… I'll ask him. Mr. Hogan… there's something else. Peter is still a minor…"_

"I can help with that!" Pepper spoke up.

_"Excuse me? Who…"_

"Sorry… you're on speaker. That's Pepper. She knows the family, too. She can help," Happy explained.

_"Did May talk to either of you about who would take legal guardianship if anything ever happened?"_ the officer asked.

"Yes," Pepper said.

Happy frowned. He didn't think that was true, but he knew Pepper had people who could make something happen in no time.

"I'll send Happy with the paperwork," Pepper added.

_"Alright… child services will need to…"_

"You can tell them that Pepper Potts-Stark will take care of everything. Happy will have all the information they will need."

_"... umm… I'm sorry… did you say your name was…"_

"Pepper Potts-Stark. CEO of Stark Industries."

_"... that's what I thought you said... um… wow. Uh… that's unexpected."_

"I'm catching the first flight to New York. Tell Peter that Happy is on his way. Pepper and I will make sure everything is taken care of. Ask him about calling Ned and his mom to stay with him until I get there," Happy ordered, using his head-of-security voice.

_"Of course, sir. He wants to speak to you… hold on."_

A moment later Peter's voice is on the phone,_ "H- Happy?"_

"I'm coming to get you, kid. I'm out of the country, but I'll hijack T'Challa's personal jet if it means I'll get to you faster, okay?"

_"Um… okay,"_ Peter said. Happy could hear the question in his voice. He was likely surprised to learn that Happy was so far away.

"Call your friend, Ned. I don't want you to be alone. Do you think his mom would wait with you until I get there?"

_"Umm… y-yeah."_

"Great… I'm… God, kid… I'm so sorry. I'll be there as soon as I can," Happy told him.

_"Okay… th-thanks. I'm sorry to…"_

"Don't finish that sentence, kid! I know what you're going to say. It's no bother!" Happy told him.

_"Thanks."_

God… he sounded so lost. "See you in a bit, kid," Happy told him and then ended the call.

* * *

Peter stared at the phone in his hand. _"See you in a bit."_ Happy's words were an echo of the same words May said to him. The last words he would ever hear from her. The tears spilled from his eyes as he sat in the back of the police cruiser.

They were taking him to the hospital. He had a vague awareness that the police officers were talking to him. They were trying to offer encouragement.

Officer Reagan was clearly curious about his connection to Pepper, but he let the subject drop for the time being.

In a daze, Peter dialed Ned. When his friend picked up, Peter cried and choked his way through tears as he told Ned what happened. His friend promised to meet him at the hospital with his mother right away.

And yet, Peter was alone with two police officers when he first arrived at the hospital.

He felt numb as they led him inside. He was greeted by a doctor who offered her condolences. The woman was saying something about May's injuries. There was something she said about it being quick. Some reassurance that she didn't suffer.

Peter didn't really hear or absorb the words, though. He felt dizzy and the only clear sound was that of his beating heart.

They were leading him to a room. It was a private space. Everything was white and sterile. There was a hospital bed inside the room. A white sheet was draped over a form lying still atop the bed.

Peter needed to breathe. He was trying to remember to breathe. Officers Reagan and Janko were on either side of him, providing support. Without them, he might have fallen over. He had a vague awareness that people were talking to him, but all he could see what the form covered with a white sheet.

He couldn't see a face. Maybe they had the wrong person. It might be someone else. He noticed spots of blood on the white sheet and swallowed the bile that threatened to escape.

"Peter?" The doctor was right in front of him. Judging by the look on her face, she had been trying to get his attention for awhile. "Do you need another minute?"

She was asking his permission to pull back the sheet. Was he ready? Did he need another minute. "No…" he found himself answering in surprise. Part of him wanted it over. He needed to know. "I- I'm ready… I think," he tried to sound confident, but his voice betrayed him. He was clearly terrified.

The doctor gave a pointed look at the officers on either side of him and Peter could feel them holding him a little tighter, steadying him.

The doctor carefully pulled back the sheet.

_"I'll see you in a bit,"_ May's voice echoed in his brain as he stared at her battered and bruised body lying too still on the hospital bed. Memories flooded through him. _"Larb you… you still have me, sweetheart… I'm right here… I'm right here… I'm right here…"_

Peter never felt his legs give out from under him. The last awareness he had was that his aunt was, in fact, right there. Too still. Too pale.

_Not fair. Not fair. Not Fair_

* * *

Hours later, Happy entered into the hospital. His suit was crumpled from the flight. He hadn't showered or shaved, and he looked haggard. But he was there.

It took a few moments and a few threatening stares, but someone finally pointed him in the right direction. He found Ned and his mother waiting outside of a room with a couple of police officers.

"Mr. Hogan?" The female officer asked.

"That's me," he confirmed.

"Officer Reagan," the man said, extending a hand. He nodded to the woman, "My partner… Officer Janko."

Happy shook their hands and frowned. "Long shift for you two?" he asked.

They looked at each other and Janko answered, "Our shift ended awhile ago. We couldn't bring ourselves to leave the kid until you got here."

Happy gave a rye smile, "Kid has that effect on people." Happy glanced into the room. He could see Peter sitting next to a still figure on the bed.

He frowned at the group. They all looked tired. "God… how long has he been in there with her? Shouldn't someone take her to… you know…" He couldn't bring himself to say the morgue.

A doctor stepped forward to greet him with another woman to her side. "He won't let us. I was just bringing our social worker to give it a try. I'm Dr. Weaver. This is our social worker, Ms. Litchfield."

Happy shook their hands politely, but he really wanted to get to the kid.

"I tried to lead him out, but he is remarkably strong for someone so young," Reagan commented.

Happy and Ned shared a look. Peter's friend looked exhausted and sad. This wasn't going to be easy for anyone. "She was his last living relative," Happy told them.

"About that," the social worker said. "Child services will be eager to sort out the question of his guardianship. I understand you have some papers for us?"

"Uh… yeah…" Happy nearly forgot about the envelope in his coat pocket. He pulled it out and handed to her. "Everything is there."

The social worker opened it up and studied the document. "I'll be damned." She suddenly reached into her pocket and pulled out a $50 bill, handing it to Janko. "I was betting that they heard you wrong on the phone," she explained to Happy. "But apparently, temporary guardianship will go to Pepper Potts-Stark."

"We didn't actually agree to a bet," Reagan frowned.

Janko pocketed the money. "Her loss," she muttered to him.

Happy gave the social worker a look, "So does this mean I can get the kid out of here?"

She frowned a little and looked around, "Is Mrs. Potts-Stark here? We'll have some papers for her to sign."

"Read those papers more carefully," Happy scolded. "I'm authorized to sign. Any questions can go to our lawyers. Their numbers are on the bottom."

She was about to say something else, but Happy interrupted. "You figure that out. I need to talk to the kid." Without further delay, Happy went into the room. He paused as soon as he was inside. The room was far too still.

"Get out!" A tired voice called from the bed. "I told you to leave me alone! You can't take her! She needs me!"

Happy swallowed and stepped forward. His heart broke at the sight of May on that bed. Her color was wrong. She was too still. Yet, even bruised and broken the woman was beautiful. Happy's heart ached for the woman. She hadn't deserved for it to end like this. "I'm so sorry," Happy wasn't sure if his words were for May or Peter.

Peter's head whipped around at the sound of Happy's voice.

"This… God, kid… tell me what I can do," Happy said to him.

Peter stood on shaky legs and threw his arms around Happy's neck. It took all of Happy's strength to hold onto him as he cried.

"I got you, kid. I'm here."

"What am I supposed to do, Happy? She can't be gone! There's no one left," Peter cried.

"Hey… hey…" Happy didn't do well with tears. This was hard and he was having his own flashbacks of Tony's death. "You're not alone, kid. You're not. You have your friends. You have me. Pepper worked it out. She's going to be your guardian, okay? We're going to take care of you."

Peter rubbed at the tears falling down his face, "What about May? What happens to her?"

Happy looked at the body of May Parker once again. Part of him knew it was too late, but he needed to see. He stepped forward, placing his hand on top of hers. He gave it a subtle squeeze. The hand was too cold and too stiff. He was too late. He couldn't do anything. She was truly gone. He turned back to Peter, "We'll take care of her. I'll help you, okay? We'll take care of her."

Happy walked up to him. "Peter… we need to let the hospital take the next step. We'll arrange to pick her up later. Let me take you home and we'll figure this out."

Peter looked back at his aunt and turned his sad eyes back to Happy, "I don't want to say goodbye."

Happy swallowed hard. "I know, kid. Goodbyes suck."

Peter let out a sound. Happy didn't know if it was a sob or a poor attempt at a laugh. Peter let a few tears fall and looked at Happy again, "Why do they all leave me?"

"Shit, kid." He pulled Peter into a hug. "They don't want to leave you, Peter. Believe me… give me a chance to prove it to you, okay? I'm here, yeah?"

Peter nodded. "Come on, kid. I'll take you home."

"Wait!" Peter protested, halting their motion towards the door. For a moment, Happy thought he would refuse to leave again. "I - I don't want to go home. Can we… can we go to a hotel or something?" Peter asked sheepishly.

"Sure, Peter. We can pick some stuff up at your place first if you want," Happy offered.

"Can we just stop at a store?" Peter begged.

"You got it," Happy confirmed. He wouldn't force Peter to go back home. The kid was dealing with enough already.

* * *

They took care of some final arrangement with the police and the hospital staff. The lawyers were working with the social worker and children's services on final paperwork. And Happy was eager to get Peter out of there. Ned and his mother walked with Peter to the car that Happy had waiting. Peter gave his best friend a hug before his mother led him back to their own car. Before long, Happy was tiredly driving them to the hotel. He paid someone to do some shopping and drop some items off at the penthouse suite permanently reserved for Pepper at a hotel in the city.

Both of them were exhausted but for different reasons. Happy had severe jet lag and Peter was struggling with emotional exhaustion. The penthouse had multiple bedrooms, but Happy went to check on Peter before he crashed. He found him sitting on the edge of the oversized bed, looking smaller and younger than he ever before.

"Kid?" Happy called, getting his attention.

Peter looked up with tired eyes. "Hey," he greeted back.

Happy went over and awkwardly sat next to him, trying to offer some sort of comfort. "I can have some people reach out to the funeral home. They'll take care of her until you're ready to… you know… make any decisions," Happy offered.

"Okay," Peter agreed quietly.

"They won't do anything until you're ready. It'll be up to you… if you want to… you know… have a service or anything," Happy suggested.

"Okay," Peter said again.

Happy swallowed thickly. This was awkward. He needed the kid to say… something.

"Were you in Wakanda?" Peter asked suddenly.

Happy hadn't expected that. "Uh… yeah."

"Why?" Peter blinked at Happy in tired confusion.

Happy was equally confused by the change in topic. He supposed the kid needed a distraction. "It's a long story."

"You called me. Three times," Peter stated. "And that was… before…"

"Yeah… we should talk about it later," Happy offered.

Peter frowned, "But why did you call me? Why isn't Pepper here if she's my guardian? Is She in Wakanda?"

"Um…" Happy wasn't sure what to say. "I called because…" He looked at Peter. "Now isn't really the time to talk about it."

Peter's face suddenly looked angry. "Why not?! Just tell me!"

Happy couldn't. Not now. He would have to just give him part of the truth. "Team meeting, kid. The Avengers are gathering in Wakanda. They wanted you there. It can wait for us… to… finish with arrangements here, though, okay? Don't worry about it."

Peter's face softened, "Oh… I haven't… I haven't really been going out in the suit… either suit lately."

"That's not a problem, Peter. There's no fight. Just a meeting," Happy explained.

Peter frowned, "They don't need to wait for me. It's fine. I'm not…"

Happy put a hand on Peter's shoulder, "Kid… it can wait. Don't sweat it. I was just being impatient by calling so much.

Peter gave the ghost of a smile, "Okay."

"Try to rest, alright?" Happy told him. "We'll figure everything else out later."

"Sure," Peter agreed.

Peter watched as Happy left. He was tired, but he wasn't sure he could sleep. Last time he slept, it cost May her life. How could he sleep through that? Why didn't he go with her?

Peter laid back on the bed despite his lack of interest in sleep. He decided to distract himself with the Wakanda mystery. He needed to think about something else or the grief would kill him. Happy was hiding something, but he wasn't sure what it was. He didn't have time to think about it too much before the exhaustion in his body won and he drifted into a restless sleep.

* * *

Happy texted updates to Pepper before collapsing onto the bed. He was exhausted. The past few days were taking a toll on his own emotions. He needed to tread carefully with Peter. He knew it was important to get him to Wakanda, but he couldn't rush things.

If Peter didn't get the chance to wrap up things here, it would only cause problems later. Happy needed to be patient and give Peter the time he needed.

He didn't know how Peter would react to the situation in Wakanda. The death of a loved one was hard at any time, but the timing of this was most unfortunate. It was going to undoubtedly make things more complicated.

He sighed. There was nothing that he could do, but wait and see how things would unfold.

* * *

**What the heck is going on? Poor May! Poor Peter! And what the heck is happening in Wakanda? Stay with me… I plan to see this through to the end. And Reviews help motivate me to update even faster. :)**

**Updates to "Anything for You" are around the corner. The other two stories will likely stay on hiatus for a bit.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Steve Rogers will be making an appearance in this story. Endgame did not show him die... it just showed him as an old man. I love the idea if an older version of Cap hanging around like a wise old Grandpa. Therefore, Grandpa Steve will be in this story along with the other Avengers. Enjoy!**

Chapter 3: Wakanda Surprise is This?

(See what I did there?) ;)

After only about 10 days, Peter and Happy were making the trip to Wakanda. And… in a way, so was May Parker.

Happy looked over at Peter. The teenager was sitting in his seat and watching the clouds roll by, and next to him… was the urn containing May's ashes.

Peter couldn't bring himself to have a service. When the funeral director told him that a memorial service could be held at a later time, Peter opted to wait and keep his aunt's ashes with him.

Happy couldn't bring himself to convince the kid to do anything differently. Besides, the other Avengers would be able to attend if the kid delayed the service. Happy instead focused on making sure the paperwork for temporary guardianship was finalized, so that they would be able to leave. He thought time away from the city would do Peter some good.

They did make one last trip to Peter's apartment in Queens to get his things (especially the Spider-Man gear). Happy hired a moving company to pack everything else and take it to storage. Peter wasn't in any mood to go through his aunt's things, and Happy decided it was something else that could be done at a later time. The lease would run out, and someone else would rent the apartment.

Peter told Happy to get rid of it, claiming it wasn't home if May wasn't there.

Happy sighed and leaned back in his seat. They would have to help Peter find that sense of home and family again.

"So… why are we going to Wakanda again?" Peter asked Happy suddenly.

The older man turned tired eyes to look at him. Peter's eyes were so tired that even the bags under his eyes had bags. Yikes… there was a lot of baggage.

"Happy?" Peter prompted, looking for an answer.

Happy stop staring and shrugged, "Team meeting, remember?"

Peter frowned, "With Pepper there? I didn't think she was going to use her RESCUE armor anymore… not after… you know…"

Happy did know. "She's an honorary member. Just like Old Stars and Stripes," he told him.

"Huh?" Peter asked in confusion. "Old Stars and Stripes?" Peter looked thoughtful a moment before his eyes went wide, "Captain America will be there? I thought he was retired!"

Happy laughed a little, "Oh… he's definitely retired. That man is older than dirt now!"

Peter gave a snort in response. It was as close to laugh as Happy had heard from the kid lately.

"I still can't believe he grew old," Peter commented. "Good for him, I guess."

Happy noticed as Peter looked down towards his aunt's ashes, likely feeling sad that she would never have the chance to grow old. Once again, Happy was struck by just how much trauma Peter had already experienced in his young life. Happy wasn't equipped for this, and he could only hope that the others were prepared to deal with all the emotional baggage the poor kid was carrying. It was going to take the whole team… all of them. "It takes a village," he thought to himself.

And what kind of village were the Avengers anyway? They were more like the Village People than a good emotional support group. Happy sighed and leaned back in seat. He just prayed the trip to Wakanda wouldn't push the poor kid further over the edge.

* * *

Pepper Potts-Stark was on the balcony, looking up at the bright blue sky of Wakanda. The sun was pleasantly warm on her skin. She was anxious to see Peter. She felt guilty for not going with Happy, but she was needed here. There was no way she would've been able to convince Morgan to leave.

Sam Wilson came out to join her, handing her a cup of tea. "Shuri says you should drink this… something about calming your spirit or something." He shrugged, "I think that just means it helps when you're stressed."

Pepper smiled, "Thank you, Sam." She took a sip of the warm beverage and was pleased to feel the warmth spread through her. It was the perfect remedy for calming her nerves. "Is Morgan still downstairs?" She asked, knowing Sam had likely come from there.

Sam chuckled, "Oh yeah… she was perfectly content when I left."

"Shuri is so patient with her," Pepper added.

"I think Shuri intends to help Morgan grow up to make her father's inventions look like playthings. Morgan's like her little apprentice," Sam joked.

Pepper laughed a little, "I can just hear Tony now…" Pepper cleared her throat and mimicked his voice, "...Hey, Little Miss! You only have the ability to make new inventions with this Wakandan tech because you have my brains. You're welcome!"

Sam laughed along with her, "Yeah… that sounds about right."

They both stood quietly together for a minute before Sam spoke again, "Are Happy and Peter on their way?"

She nodded, "They should be here by nightfall. We thought it best if we could wear him out on the trip and coax him to bed once they land. Happy says he hasn't really been sleeping well."

"I can imagine he isn't." The Falcon's face was full of concern, "Seems like the kid hardly had enough time to settle things." Their eyes met after he spoke. They both had a mix of emotions behind their eyes: concern, fear, uncertainty. How would Peter handle this gathering of the Avengers? It should be a pleasant gathering, but under the circumstances… it could get complicated.

Pepper took another sip of tea and sighed, "Maybe it was wrong to bring him here. I should've gone to New York to help him settle things." She looked at Sam again, "Do you think I was being too selfish?"

Sam met her gaze and studied her a moment, thinking. He answered, "Maybe… but, I think you earned the right to be a little selfish. Beside, you were truly needed here. You can't be two places at once. And… Peter did call Happy in the first place. He'll be alright. I'm sure he'll understand."

"Time will tell," Pepper commented.

Just then, Steve and Bucky walked out. "Here you are," Steve said to his friends.

Pepper still wasn't sure that she would get used to Steve being older. She didn't miss the way Bucky walked slowly, keeping stride with Steve's slower gate.

"They're looking for you in the lab," Bucky told Pepper. "I think they need someone to convince the munchkin to take a break."

Steve smiled at her, "She didn't even stop to eat lunch."

Pepper's eyebrows shot up at that bit of information. She quickly swallowed the last of her tea and moved to go back inside, setting her mug down on a small table near the door. "I better go get her. She's like her father… she gets hangry if she goes too long without food!"

The three men laughed and gave each other looks. They remembered exactly what Tony was like when he didn't eat anything.

After Pepper left to go back inside, Steve asked Sam, "Do you think she's ready?"

Sam shifted a little and eyed his friend dubiously, "For which part exactly?"

Steve gave a small shrug, "All of it, I guess."

Bucky shook his head a little, "Death is hard under any circumstances. That kid just seems to experience death in all the worst ways."

"Just what do you know about Peter's past?" Steve asked, playfully challenging his friend to explain his words.

Bucky scowled and looked mildly offended, "I do know how to talk to people, Steve."

Steve raised an eyebrow, "The people closest to Peter tolerate you at best." The words weren't meant to be hurtful, and they were spoken with jest. Nonetheless, it was true. Bucky was still the man who killed Tony's parents. And while Pepper and Happy were aware that it occurred under Hydra's control, they weren't exactly jumping at the opportunity to become close friends with the Winter Soldier, nor would they share Peter's life story with the man.

Sam smirked, "You were eavesdropping weren't you?"

A guilty look crossed Bucky's face, "Not intentionally. For such an advanced city, the walls here are quite thin."

Sam and Steve shook their heads at him. "That's just a side effect of the serum. With hearing like yours, all walls are thin," Steve told him, knowing from experience.

Bucky threw his hands up in the air in mild frustration, "Whatever! Do you know the details? His parents died in a plane crash, his uncle bled out from a gunshot wound right in front of the kid, and now his aunt was run over by a car! And…" he looked at them, "... we all know how horrific Stark's death was."

An involuntary shudder ran through each man with the memory. How could they forget the way Tony's right side was burned and mangled from using the stones.

"How do you think the kid will take things once he's here?" Steve asked. He spoke to both of his friends, but his eyes rested on Sam.

Sam worked with veterans struggling with PTSD, and Steve trusted his friend's opinion on the matter.

Sam sighed and shook his head, "I'm afraid it could be too soon. I think he'll be angry."

Bucky frowned, "Why angry?"

"Because I would be pissed," Sam told him in response.

Silence fell on the group of friends as each one pondered that thought.

* * *

The flight to Wakanda was painfully long for Peter. He wanted to sleep, but he just couldn't. The sounds of the plane seemed so loud to him. When he was tired, his enhanced senses just seemed to spiral out of control. Sounds were louder, images blurred in and out of focus, his skin tingled at every sensation… it was actually quite painful. And yet, he welcomed that pain because it distracted him from the ache in his heart.

The loss of May left a gaping hole in heart. He supposed the guilt he felt for not being with her just made things worse. He knew he would've been able to catch that car with his bare hands. He could've protected her. He was so busy mourning Tony Stark that he didn't even realize that he was setting himself up to mourn his aunt as well.

He looked at her urn sitting on the seat next to him. She was really gone. There was no way to deny it. He felt a little awkward with her ashes next to him. But what else could he do? He wasn't ready for a service. He hadn't wanted to rush it. With selling the apartment, he certainly couldn't leave her in the storage unit! He wanted to bury her ashes with Uncle Ben, but that needed to wait until after a service. So… here he was. Sitting on a plane to Wakanda… with her ashes next to him.

"We're getting ready to land, kid," Happy told him. "Buckle up."

Peter still had his seatbelt on, so he leaned to look out the window. Even in the dark, he could see that they were headed for a group of trees. He clutched his seat and looked at Happy with wide eyes, "What the hell?!"

"Relax, kiddo," Happy told him.

Relax? How could he relax? Didn't Happy know that his parents died in a plane crash? Heading for trees was definitely a bad idea. As they got closer, Peter squeezed his eyes shut.

"Open your eyes, Peter. You won't want to miss this," Happy told him.

Reluctantly, Peter opened his eyes and watched the trees get closer. He sucked in a breath just as the plane hit the trees. He immediately let out his breath as the trees seemed to disintegrate and a brilliant city came into view. "Woah…" Peter gasped in awe. "That's… wow… that's so cool! Look at this place!"

"Now you can understand why the Avengers chose this as their temporary base of operations, huh?" Happy asked.

Peter frowned a little. He didn't remember Happy mentioning that part to him, but he figured that he could've missed that detail. He certainly had other things on his mind lately. Again, Peter looked down at the urn. "May would've loved this," Peter thought sadly.

As the plane landed, Peter could see T'Challa and Pepper waiting for them. Happy exited the plane first, carrying the bags. Peter had a duffel bag over his shoulder and used both hands to pick up the urn containing his aunt's ashes. He ignored the looks of pity when the others saw him carrying it as he stepped off the plane.

"Greetings brother," T'Challa said warmly. He stepped forward and placed a warm, strong hand on Peter's shoulder. "Please accept my sincere condolences for your loss. I can only hope that you will find peace during your time here. You are most welcome."

Peter gave him a polite smile, one that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Thanks… uh… I mean… Thank you, Your Majesty… sir." He could've kicked himself for being so awkward with the man.

T'Challa chuckled a little, "You don't need to do that here. Please… call me T'Challa."

Peter just nodded, not trusting himself to say anything else to the man in case he might embarrass himself any further. He noticed Pepper step towards him. She raised her hands to cup both sides of his face, using her thumbs to rub his cheeks in a soothing motion.

"I'm so glad to see you, Peter," She told him, leaning forward to plant a kiss on his forehead. "I'm so sorry for what happened. May was a wonderful woman."

Peter clutched at the urn in his hands. "She was," Peter answered, solemnly. He looked at Pepper and said, "Thank you for… um… looking after me, I guess." Again, he hated how awkward the words sounded. He was grateful, but somehow his words didn't accurately express his gratitude.

"Oh, honey…" She lowered her hands to his shoulders. "Of course! I'm happy to help." Pepper's eyes finally landed on the urn and swallowed hard. "I wish I could have done more," she said, her voice almost a whisper.

Peter swallowed past a lump in his own throat. He was about to respond when he noticed more people joining them. He recognized Bucky Barnes and Sam Wilson, and his eyes widened a little at the sight of Steve Rogers. Peter knew that Steve had aged, having chosen to stay in the past and grow old with Peggy Carter. This was just the first time that he was seeing the man in person.

The three men all had different emotions flicker across their face when they caught sight of the urn in Peter's arms. Their expressions conveyed sympathy, but it just made Peter feel awkward. He looked down at his feet and shuffled a little in discomfort.

Sam recognized the look of a kid who was ready bolt under their scrutiny, so he spoke up in hopes of moving things along. "You gotta be tired, Spidey. We can help you with your things and show you where you'll be staying."

T'Challa smiled at Sam's words and added, "Ah… yes. I have arranged some rooms for you all. You will be together in the same wing, so you will be among friends, Peter."

"Want me to take your bag, kid?" Bucky offered. He knew better than to offer to take the urn. Judging by the way Peter was holding it tightly to himself, he doubted the kid would let anyone else touch it.

"Um… no… that's okay. I'm fine." Peter told him.

"Well, alright then… Queens, you can follow us," Steve told him.

Peter gave him a small smile and followed behind him. The captain was definitely older, but he carried himself with the same confidence and ease that would've helped Peter to recognize the man anywhere.

Pepper and Happy watched as Peter followed Steve, Bucky, and Sam inside. T'Challa stayed back to converse with them in private for a moment.

"Poor kid is moving like a zombie," Pepper commented.

"I think he may actually be a zombie right now," Happy told her.

"I think I will have Shuri make him a batch of tea. We have some herbs that will… shall I say… help him to sleep," T'Challa told them.

Happy blinked at the king in surprise, "You're gonna drug the kid? Do you even have anything that will work with that Spidey metabolism of his?"

"If you do," Pepper added, "I think I'm in favor of that. It's not healthy for him to go on like this." She looked at Happy, "Are you sure that he's slept at all lately?"

Happy frowned and his eyes looked sad, "All I know is that he wakes up screaming when he does fall asleep." He looked back at T'Challa, "Does your sister's special tea keep the nightmares at bay? Because that poor kid seems to have some brutal nightmares."

"You know my sister. She has many tricks up her sleeves," T'Challa confirmed.

"I sure as hell hope so," Pepper commented. "He clearly needs a good night of rest." She eyed both men again, "Especially if we want him able to handle the gathering."

Happy nodded. The group started to make their way inside, going in the direction that would take them to Peter. "Are the others here yet?" Happy asked her.

"We're still waiting for Thor and the members who are currently off-world," she told him. "Scott and Hope arrived yesterday. Clint and his family arrived the day before that."

"Strange?" Happy asked.

"Well… no," Pepper told him, rounding a corner before stopping to look at him with a small smile. "He intends to portal in once we are ready to officially start the meeting. He said something about not wanting to waste time when he is needed at the sanctum." She shrugged, "He makes it sound really important, but I have no idea what that man really does."

"He says he protects our reality," T'Challa added helpfully. "Whatever that is supposed to mean." He smiled at them before nodding over his shoulder in the direction of his sister's lab. "I will go inform Shuri of their arrival and ask her about some tea for Peter."

"Thank you," Pepper said sincerely. She was about to continue towards Peter's room but stopped to call after T'Challa, "If Morgan is still down there, will you tell her that I want her to come upstairs?"

"I can try," the king called back.

"Tell her that Petey is here," Happy suggested. "That might work."

T'Challa nodded and continued towards the lab. Happy and Pepper continued their walk towards the rooms.

They found Steve and Bucky waiting outside of Peter's room. The door was open and they could hear Sam talking to Peter. They paused a moment to listen.

"That's a good spot, kid. She can watch over you from there," Sam was saying.

Pepper moved forward to stand in the doorway. She watched as Peter was settling May's urn on a sideboard that was up against the wall opposite of Peter's bed.

"You must think I've lost my mind," Peter said to Sam.

Pepper watched as Peter stepped back to stare at the urn, studying it as if to be sure it wasn't going to fall or get knocked over.

"Why would I think that?" Sam asked sincerely.

Peter looked up to answer Sam's question when he caught sight of Pepper in the doorway. He gave her a smile, "Hey, Pepper. Umm… Sam was just helping me get… um... ." Peter's eyes flickered to the urn, "... get things settled."

Pepper smiled at him and stepped inside, sensing that Happy took her place in the doorway. She walked up to Peter and wrapped him in a hug. It was the first hug she'd been able to really give him since his hands were full when he stepped off the plane. She hugged him tightly, praying that he would understand just how much she cared about him and how sorry she was for his loss. Peter hugged her back, resting his head on her shoulder.

Pepper reluctantly released her hold on him and stepped back to look him in the eyes. She could see unshed tears in his eyes as he looked back at her. She motioned towards Sam and Happy as she said, "We'll all help you get things settled, sweetheart. I promise. You're not alone."

Peter looked down towards the floor, but Pepper gently lifted his chin to look at her again. She watched as a few tears finally fell from his eyes. "Did you hear me, Peter? You are not alone. You have us."

"All of us," Sam said, affirming her words and letting Peter know the whole team would help him.

Peter shuffled on his feet a little and cleared his throat. When he spoke the next words, they were hardly more than a whisper, "Almost all of you."

Pepper blinked at him. His words might have been referring to the members of the team who were presently absent, but she knew he was referring to Tony. He needed him now more than ever. She looked towards Sam.

Sam just shook his head at her a little. It was best to let things drop there.

Luckily, Shuri chose that moment to enter, closely followed by Morgan Stark.

"You made it!" Shuri greeted warmly. She smirked at Peter, "Why is it that you white boys are always broken and in need of fixing when you come to visit me, eh?" Her words were in jest, but her eyes conveyed sincere concern.

Peter understood the princess well enough to know that she was sorry for his loss. She meant well. "I'm not broken," he said, attempting to sound casual. His voice cracked, though. He really was exhausted.

Shuri raised an eyebrow at him, "Oh, really?" She walked over to the nightstand by his bed and set the tea down. "It seems to me like you could use some sleep. This will help," she told him, nodding to the warm beverage next to the bed. She then walked over and placed a friendly hand on his arm, "And don't think that I don't recognize a broken heart when I see one."

Peter scoffed a little. "Are you telling me you have the cure for a broken heart?" he asked. He found that thought amusing, but he was doubtful that was the case.

Morgan had come into the room and hopped into her mother's arms. She had chosen this moment to speak up and make her presence known. "Shuri can fix anything, Petey! You'll see! Just wait until…"

"Morgan!" Pepper cut her off. Her daughter gave her a sheepish look in return. "Peter just got here, and he is very tired. You and Shuri can show him… other things later."

Peter watched as the others seemed to share a look with one another. They clearly knew something that he didn't, but he couldn't be bothered to care right now. He cleared his throat to get their attention, "Right… um… was there anything else you guys needed? I mean… I think I'm okay. I'm sure you all want to do your own thing."

Sam smiled. "I hear you, kid. You need your space. You gotta be exhausted."

Peter was about to protest. He didn't want them to feel like he was kicking them out, but he was ready to be left alone. It felt strange to have them all piled in his room like this. So he shrugged and said, "Yeah… I think I'll just get ready to call it a night." He looked at Shuri, "Thanks for the tea." He doubted it would really work for him. Yet, he was willing to give anything a try.

"Of course… it will help you catch up on some restful sleep," She told him, looking proud of herself.

They all began to file out of his room. Pepper waited for the others to leave. Morgan stayed in her arms and rested her small head on Peppers shoulder. The little girl attempted to hide a yawn, but Peter noticed and realized that Pepper did, too.

"Is there anything else you need, Peter?" Pepper asked.

He shook his head, "No." He gave her a small smile, "Thank you… for everything."

Pepper walked over to him and kissed his cheek. She was amused to see Morgan follow her lead and plant a kiss to Peter's cheek as well.

This made Peter smile. It was the first genuine smile Pepper saw on his face since he arrived. It faded quickly, but Pepper was happy to see it nonetheless. "If you do need anything," She told him. "Morgan and I are in the room across the hall."

Peter nodded, "Okay."

"Goodnight, Peter," Pepper said, moving towards the door.

"That's it?!" Morgan questioned suddenly, whining a little. "But Mommy…"

"Morgan," Pepper scolded softly. "You can spend time with Peter later."

"But what about…" Morgan tried.

"Later Morgan!" Pepper told her, giving her a look.

Peter smiled at the little girl. He figured that she wanted to play so he said, "We'll play tomorrow, Morgan. I promise."

He was surprised to see her frown a little in confusion. "That's not what I…"

"He said he'll play you tomorrow, Morgan!" Pepper said, ready to rush out the door.

Peter felt like he was missing something. He supposed there was something else Morgan had in mind, and it seemed like Pepper didn't want her to bring it up right now. Everyone was treating him like he was so fragile. Peter wasn't really sure how to feel about that.

Pepper looked in at him again before closing the door, "Sleep well, Peter. I meant it, you know. Let me know if there is anything you need. We're just across the hall."

"Sure thing," Peter told her. She seemed to hesitate a moment, but finally gave him one last smile before leaving and closing his door.

Peter sighed. He was tired. He looked around the large room. It was huge! There was a door to the side that Sam told him led to his own bathroom. There was enough space for a small sitting area near the door. The bed looked to be king size and there was a large glass sliding door that led out to a balcony. Peter walked over to door to the balcony and looked out over what he could see of the scenery in the dark. The city of Wakanda was beautiful, and yet he found himself closing the curtain. He shut the curtain, feeling like he was hiding himself away. Being hidden felt safer. He was tired of sympathetic eyes staring at him, waiting for him to break down.

He avoided looking at May's urn. Instead, he went over to his bag and prepared to call it a night. He wasn't surprised to find a large, lavish bathroom attached to the room. He didn't take too much time to appreciate that. He just focused on quickly cleaning himself up and preparing to sleep. He crawled into the large bed, appreciating the soft sheets. He looked at the tea on his nightstand. He doubted it was still warm, but he thought it was worth drinking it anyway. He didn't want to insult Shuri by letting it go to waste, and he was more than a little curious to see if it would do any good. Part of him doubted that it would have any effect on him, but the other part of him knew that he had nothing to lose.

He gulped it down quickly before settling himself under the warm blankets. It should be luxurious and comforting, but Peter wasn't really sure that anything could feel comfortable right now. Before he had time to explore those thoughts any further, he noticed that the warmth spreading through him had little to do with the blankets. His eyes grew heavier, and he vaguely realized that Shuri's tea was working before he drifted off completely.

* * *

Voices. He heard voices pulling him from his sleep. Peter pulled the blankets up over his shoulder. The sleep was just too nice. He wasn't ready to get up yet. He tried not to listen, but his enhanced hearing wouldn't let him ignore the conversation.

"I think you should let him sleep."

"I think he's been sleeping long enough! Just what in the hell did Princess Genius put in that tea? It's been like 36 hours!"

"He needs the sleep!"

"He also needs to eat! I can't let this go on!"

"Look… I know you want to see him"

"Damn right I do! Just let me check on him and make sure he's breathing at least."

"Let Steve or someone else check on him! I'm sure he's fine. Shuri said the tea will help his body get the sleep it needs. He must need this sleep!"

Peter frowned a little. He was in the weird stage between sleep and wakefulness. It felt a little bit like he was dreaming. He recognized Pepper's voice, and the other voice…

"No one needs this much sleep, Pep. It's not natural. I need to go in!"

"Please don't wake him! Sam said it's better to wait and break the news to him gently."

"He needs me, Pep."

That voice… yep… Peter was definitely dreaming. He nestled deeper into his pillow and sighed, feeling himself start to drift away again. He thought he heard his door open, but he fought the urge to wake up completely.

Someone came over and Peter could sense that person standing over him. He sighed again, raising up his arm and throwing it over his head.

He heard the person give a small laugh at his attempt to hide himself and stay asleep. "They want me to let you sleep, but I feel like it's time for you to wake up."

Peter sighed, not wanting to wake up. If he woke up, the voice would go away. He wanted to stay sleeping. In his dreams, that voice could comfort him. Awake, that voice would likely belong to someone else.

"Come on, kid." A warm hand came down to rest on the back of his head.

"I thought you weren't going to wake him," Pepper lightly scolded from what sounded like the doorway. "I think you should…"

The voice cut her off, "Trust me on this, Pep. He needs me." The voice was insistent.

Peter could feel the hand gently brushing through his hair. It felt nice.

"Come on, underoos… open those big brown eyes for me, kid."

Underoos? Peter only knew one person who used that nickname. The desire to sleep suddenly left his body and his eyes shot open. The room was fairly dark with the curtain closed, but light was pouring in from the open door. Peter blinked up at the figure who was now sitting on the edge of his bed. He heard Pepper gasp from the doorway, likely seeing that he was awake.

"Hey, Pete," the man said, using his hand to gently clasp the back of Peter's neck.

Peter blinked some more and took some deep breaths. Was he awake right now? Peter dropped his mouth open. He studied the man with wide, disbelieving eyes.

"I know… I know… I look great, don't I?"

Peter sat up suddenly and pushed his back into the headboard, making it creak under his weight. He pushed himself back from the man a little, unsure of what to do.

"Woah.. hey! It's okay, Pete. It's me." The man carefully raised a hand and placed it gently on Peter's shoulder. "I'm here, kid. It's going to be okay. I'm here."

Peter was breathing heavily now. He thought he might hyperventilate. He had to still be dreaming!

"Say something, Pete," the man pleaded.

Peter forced himself to speak, saying the name of the man he thought was in front of him.

"Mr. Stark?" He squeaked out.

Tony smiled at him brilliantly. "In the flesh!" he confirmed.

Tony and Pepper watched Peter's face fall back into his pillows as he passed out.

"Damn it, Tony!" Pepper scolded. "I knew that was a bad idea."

He looked over his shoulder at his wife and shrugged innocently. "What? I thought that went very well."

* * *

**He's alive! Angeru04 called it! I guess I gave too many hints. Only a few more chapters in part 1. Part 1 is all about Tony and Peter coming back together. Part 2 will explore the things that could tear them apart.**

**Stay tuned! And please don't forget to leave me a review! A special thanks to those who have already left some reviews! suteko1, xSaphirexRosesxFanx, Beachgirl25, IronManRocks33... thank you for your support! I hope all reviewers and followers like what happens next!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: I'm Frankenstein's Monster

A hand was running through Peter's hair again. "Peter? Kid? Are you alright?" The hand moved down to lightly tap him on the cheek. "Can you hear me? Peter?"

Peter blinked his eyes open and looked up into the concerned face of Pepper.

Huh.. that wasn't who he expected to see. Peter sat up and scrubbed a hand over his face. Just who had he expected to see? Was he dreaming earlier? Because he could've sworn he saw Mr. Stark.

"Peter?" Pepper questioned. She had a hand on his shoulder and she was studying his face carefully.

He frowned at her, "What is it? What's the matter?"

"Sweetheart… are you… what do you remember?" Pepper asked him carefully. She really didn't know quite what to say.

Peter's frown deepened, "What do I remember?" He looked at Pepper and then turned his eyes towards May's urn.

Pepper followed his gaze and internally kicked herself for asking such a stupid question.

He answered the question, though. "Um… I lost May, Happy brought me to Wakanda, the princess made me tea that may or may not have been loaded with ZzzQuil, and now…" He gave her a wry smile, "... well, now you're worrying me a little bit." Peter looked at the clock which read 9:00 am. He thought back to something he thought he heard earlier. Wasn't someone commenting on him sleeping for far too long? "How long was I asleep?" Peter asked cautiously.

Pepper smiled a little and raised an eyebrow in amusement. "About 36 hours," she told him.

"WHAT?!" Peter exclaimed. "What in the world did Shuri put in that tea?!"

Pepper chuckled, "I'm not entirely sure. All I know is that she insisted it would give you the exact amount of sleep you need to recover."

"Recover from what?" Peter challenged.

"A severe lack of sleep," Pepper insisted. "Are you actually going to tell me you were getting enough sleep before coming here?"

Peter gave her a sheepish look, "Well… no." He gave her an indignant look, "But now I'll be afraid to sleep here. I missed an entire day!" Peter's stomach growled as if to echo his annoyance.

"But do you feel rested now?" Pepper asked innocently.

This made Peter stop and take inventory of himself. He did feel better. He couldn't deny that. "I mean… yeah." He shifted a little, "But I'm hungry and I desperately need to pee."

Pepper jumped back as Peter leapt out of bed and quickly shuffled over to the bathroom. She blinked in the direction of the bathroom door as it slammed shut behind Peter. She turned towards the doorway and caught sight of Tony peeking into the room. She glared at him and made a shooing motion at him. "Not yet!" She mouthed the words to him, not wanting Peter to hear her whisper. "Go!" She mouthed, continuing to shoo him away. "Later!"

Tony made a face that looked quite similar to a face Morgan would make when told she must eat her vegetables. It was a face somewhere between kicked puppy and angry grizzly. He stuck his tongue out at her for good measure before presumably walking away.

A short time later, Peter exited the bathroom, stretching and rubbing the back of his neck. Pepper noticed how he tried to avoid looking at his aunt's urn. "I had the weirdest dream," Peter told her suddenly.

"Oh yeah?" Pepper asked, suspicious that the dream had everything to do with Tony waking him up earlier and making him faint. "Want to talk about it?"

Peter gave her a funny look, seeming to consider that. He shook his head, "It's probably not a good idea."

Pepper thought for a moment. She wasn't sure if she should tell him or not. She decided it would be best to wait a little. She stood up and walked over to Peter's door as he was taking out a sweatshirt from his bag and putting it on. Once she saw that Tony was nowhere in sight, she said, "How about I take you to the kitchen for some breakfast?"

Peter's stomach grumbled in response. He was still in his pajama pants and had put the sweatshirt on over his t-shirt. He must have assumed he was presentable enough because he nodded and began walking over to the door. "Breakfast sounds good," he told her.

"Good," she agreed, leading him into the hallway.

They walked quietly together. Pepper really didn't know what to say. She was torn about when she should say something to Peter about Tony. She couldn't believe that he truly thought seeing Tony was a dream.

They made their way down to a lower level where there was a beautiful industrial-style kitchen that looked incredibly advanced. Steve, Bucky, and Sam were already in the kitchen and looked to be cleaning up from their own meal.

"Well… looky here, boys! Spider-Man has finally awakened from his beauty sleep!" Sam exclaimed.

Bucky whistled, "Looking good, kid."

Peter blushed. "Good morning to you, too, gentleman," he quipped.

Steve smiled, "How are you feeling, Queens?"

Peter sat down on a stool next to Steve at a large stainless steel counter. "Not bad, actually."

Pepper stood behind him and ruffled his hair a little, "The kid here could use some nourishment after all that sleep. You boys think you can help him whip something up?"

"Can I help whip something up?" Sam repeated her, feigning offense at the question. "Woman… look who you are talking to! I am the kitchen master! No one makes a breakfast better than Mr. Choc-oh-late!"

Steve and Bucky laughed at their friend's antics as he grabbed a pan and spatula enthusiastically.

Pepper smiled, "I think you're in good hands here, kiddo. Do you mind if I go check on T… um… on Morgan?"

Peter frowned a little. It seemed like she was about to say another name, and it earned her some surprised looks from the other men in the kitchen. "No problem," Peter told her, choosing to ignore her near slip.

Pepper shuffled away then, leaving him to Sam's antics as he fried up a huge omelet for Peter's breakfast.

"What smells so good?" A girl suddenly asked, stepping into the kitchen.

Steve smiled at her. "Good morning, Lila. Sam is just making Peter one of his famous omelets."

Lila studied Peter, and he smiled politely at her. It was a little awkward.

"Lila Barton," Bucky said, "Meet Peter Parker."

The girl's eyes went wide, "You're Spider-Man!"

Peter's own eyes shot open in surprise. "What? How…"

"Lila! Wait for us!" A young boy called as he ran into the kitchen with an older boy.

"And those two rascals," Steve added. "... are Nathaniel and Cooper Barton."

"Our Dad told us so much about you!" Lila added.

"Your Dad?" Peter asked in confusion.

"Kids!" A male voice called. "Wait for us, will ya?"

Peter watched as Hawkeye entered the kitchen with a beautiful dark-haired woman. Peter assumed that must be his wife.

Clint stopped in his tracks upon seeing Peter. "Spidey!" he exclaimed happily. "I thought maybe Princess Shuri put you into a coma or something! I was about ready to send people in to try waking you up with true love's kiss or something!" Hawkeye exclaimed. The man walked over and clapped a friendly hand on Peter's shoulder.

"Hey Hawkeye! Or… um… Mr. Barton, sir," Peter spat out awkwardly. Barton… right. These were his kids. It was so crazy to think of Hawkeye with kids!

"You can call me Clint, kiddo," Hawkeye said with a wink.

"Leave him be," his wife scolded, giving Peter a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry to hear about your loss, Peter. How are you feeling?"

Peter gave her a shy smile, "Oh… umm… I'm fine, Mrs. Barton. Thanks."

She set a gentle hand on his back, "You can call me Laura, Peter."

"Sure," Peter said.

The room had fallen suddenly quiet after Laura expressed her sympathy. Clint gave his wife a look, "Way to kill the vibe, babe."

Sam plopped Peter's omelet in front of him, "Bon Appetit! Boom! That's the magic right there, kid! Give that a try!"

Peter smiled, thankful for the pleasant distraction. He didn't really want to deal with sympathy right now. He picked up a fork, took a bite, and smiled in pleasure. "Mmm… yeah… that's really good!"

The Falcon smiled triumphantly, "Hah! Yes! Master Chef Choc-oh-late has done it again, people! Please… hold your applause!"

"No one's clapping," Bucky told him, frowning.

"Besides," Clint chimed in. "Peter hasn't had the pleasure of experiencing the famous Barton Family Pancakes yet."

Sam frowned, "Don't you go feeding this poor boy pancakes! He needs his protein!"

"I want pancakes!" Nathaniel chimed in.

"Me too!" Cooper said. Followed by a "Same here" from Lila.

"I mean if you're making some," Peter said, plowing through Sam's omelet. "I won't mind trying a couple."

"Hear that, Sam?" Clint asked. "The kid's gonna compare our cooking."

"Nuh uh! There's nothing to compare!" Sam insisted. "Who compares an omelet to a pancake? The omelet wins every time!"

"We'll find out," Clint told him. He and his wife quickly began the process of making pancakes.

Peter smiled at the group of people around him. The Bartons were really nice. The kids made polite conversation with him as they waited for their own breakfast.

Sam stood to the side with his arms folded across his chest, surveying Hawkeye and his wife as they cooked. He clearly didn't want to be out done. Bucky and Steve weren't too far from Sam. They were just as content to watch the scene playing out in front of them.

Peter was starving. He ate enough for at least five people. "Damn, Spidey," Clint said in amusement. "Where did you put all that food? You a bottomless pit or what?"

"It's the metabolism," Steve told him from across the room. "Kid could probably eat more if he wanted."

Everyone chuckled and Peter couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. This was nice. Really nice.

His smile fell suddenly. May would love this. How could he let himself smile and be happy so soon after she died?

Sam seemed to notice the shift in Peter's attitude first. He walked over and grabbed the plates in front of Peter. "I can clean up, Pete. I think Bruce is eager to see you."

Peter's eyes widened a little, "Dr. Banner wants to see me?"

Sam nodded, catching the eyes of some of the others. "Yep. He has something he wants to show you."

"Is he in Miss Shuri's lab?" Nathaniel asked enthusiastically. "Mommy? Daddy? Can I go? I'm sure Morgan is there! Can I please go play with Morgan?"

Laura and Clint smiled at the excitement from their youngest son. At least they were until he said, "Can I please go play with Morgan and Iron Man? Please?"

Everyone froze.

Peter frowned and looked at the small boy in confusion. Iron Man? Did Nathaniel just say Iron Man? The events of the morning flooded back to Peter. Tony's voice. Tony's face. Pepper's concerned voice. Pepper about to go check on T…

"Oh my God," Peter gasped. His eyes widened as he looked around the room. Everyone looked at him cautiously, unsure of what to say. Nathaniel just blushed and looked guilty.

"Oops," Nathaniel said, catching a glare from his father.

"I wasn't dreaming, was I?" Peter asked them. "He was there. Mr. Stark was in my room this morning, wasn't he?"

No one dared to answer.

Peter looked at the Falcon. "Sam?" He looked at Bucky and Steve. "Guys… what's going on?" He glanced at the Barton family. "Is that… is that why you're all here?"

Peter could hear footsteps approaching the kitchen. He breathed harder in anticipation. Could it be?

"Hey! Have any of you seen the Big Guy or Stark lately?" Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne rounded the corner and looked at them. "Hope and I wanted to talk to them about Hank's new design for our suits. We thought… oomph."

Scott was cut off when Hope's hand reached out and stopped him in his tracks. It just so happened that her hand made contact with Scott's stomach and knocked the air out of him.

"Hey there, Spider-Kid," Hope greeted Peter. "It's been awhile. How'd you sleep?" She asked awkwardly.

Peter felt dizzy. Scott asked for Stark. It was true.

Peter looked over at Sam, Bucky, and Steve. "Where is it? Where is Shuri's lab? I need to go there right now!"

* * *

"So let me get this straight," Bruce said, "You just thought you'd wake up the kid like it was no big deal?" Professor Hulk was manipulating holograms next to a table on which Tony was laying down. The Iron Man impatiently drummed his fingers over his midsection while Bruce worked.

"Was Petey happy to see you Daddy?" Morgan asked sweetly. She was sitting at another table nearby, swinging her legs off the side and watching Bruce work. Shuri joined them, pulling up a few more holograms next to Bruce.

"Something tells me Peter will think he is turning into Cole Sear," Shuri joked. "There was probably a better way to reveal yourself to him," she scolded her patient.

"Who is Cole Cesar?" Morgan asked, mispronouncing the name she heard.

"Cole Sear," Tony corrected. "Apparently Princess Frankenstein likes old movies just like your br… um… like Pete. She's referring to a movie called the Sixth Sense. It's about a kid who sees ghosts."

"Peter sees ghosts?!" Morgan asked.

Helen Cho joined the group, smiling at the little Stark sitting nearby. "He likely thinks that is the case."

"I just thought the kid might like to see that I'm not actually six feet under!" Tony argued.

Cho, Bruce, and Shuri finished examining the holograms in front of them, sharing looks with one another. Bruce spoke first, "I know you care about Peter, Tony. But we had a plan."

"He's right," Shuri said. "Morgan was going to bring Peter down and show off my technology. Then Cho and Bruce would join to show how we all worked together to repair the damage to Brice's arm." Shuri nodded towards Bruce's once-damaged right arm. As she spoke, Bruce held out the arm in front of Tony.

"Then, I was going to explain how my Regeneration Cradle was combined with the technology here in Wakanda so that we could help repair tissue damaged by the stones," Cho added.

"And let that genius brain of Peter's put some pieces together before bringing you in," Bruce told him.

Tony looked over towards Morgan, "Does that sound like a better plan to you, Morguna? Pete would still think he was seeing dead people."

Morgan frowned at her father and cocked her head, "I think Uncle Bruce is right, Daddy. It was a good plan. I wanted to bring Peter here and surprise him. I didn't get to do anything in your plan!"

Tony raised a brow at her. "Traitor," he joked. Morgan smiled at her father. She had missed him so much.

Tony sat up and looked at the doctors and scientists next to him. "So… what's the verdict? Am I completely back to normal yet?"

"You were never normal, Tony," Bruce quipped, earning an eye roll from Iron Man.

"Your facial tissue still shows some signs of damage, as does your right arm. However, a couple more treatments should make you look less like Frankenstein's monster," Helen Cho told him.

"And your brain functions are working far better than we could've ever hoped, considering the damage. I was concerned that you may struggle with controlling the movements on your left side," Shuri told him.

"It was admittedly a little tricky at first, but there are some benefits to being a stubborn ass," Tony admitted with a smirk.

"Ass," Morgan repeated.

"Tony... stop corrupting our daughter's vocabulary," Pepper scolded as she entered the room.

Everyone smiled at Tony's wife as she joined them, scooping Morgan into her arms when she was close enough.

"The kid?" Tony asked, looking back in the direction from which his wife came. He half expected to see Peter following her.

"The others are cooking him breakfast. I excused myself to come down here, but I couldn't help but listen in on the fun a little before I came down," Pepper told him.

"So… he's ok?" Tony asked, not bothering to hide the concern in his voice.

Peter looked a bit sad, "I don't know that it's really possible for him to be ok right now, but he seems content to distract himself with the team."

Tony nodded in understanding, "I guess that's good enough for now."

Pepper continued to hold Morgan in her arms as she listened to the update on Tony's condition from Bruce, Helen, and Shuri. There were a couple of comments from Tony as he disliked being talked about like he wasn't in the room. And then they stopped, listening as there was commotion from the hallway outside the lab.

"Kid! Hold up!" Sam Wilson's voice heard first.

"Son… stop a minute!" Steve added.

"Hang on!" Bucky said next. The door into the space budged a little, but then went closed again.

"Move out of my way, Mr. Barnes!" Peter declared. "I need to go in there!"

Tony and Pepper shared a look. It was likely that Peter had just tried to enter, but was stopped by Barnes.

"Listen…" Bucky was heard saying before stopping with an "...oomph"

"I said MOVE!" Peter practically growled.

The door was opening and Tony quickly dropped to the floor at Pepper's feet, hidden by the table he had been laying on earlier. Morgan gazed down at him only to watch as her father put a finger to his lips and shook his head back and forth. Clearly, he was heeding the advice of the others and laying low (literally).

Peter stormed into the lab, still in his pajama pants and sweatshirt. He looked at the group in front of him. "Where is he? What are you all hiding?! What the hell is going on? Mr. Stark was in my bedroom this morning, wasn't he?" He eyed Pepper, "I wasn't dreaming, was I?"

Before Pepper could answer, Morgan dropped from her arms and quickly trotted over to Peter. The teenager instantly softened at the sight of the little girl. Morgan gently grasped Peter's hand, "Come on, Petey. Uncle Bruce wants to show you something."

Pepper and the others exchanged glances. Apparently Morgan was the only one who could follow a plan.

Peter let the small Stark lead him over to Bruce.

"Hey there, Peter. It's… uh… good to see you. Sleep well?" Bruce asked.

Peter glared at Shuri, "Yep… I got enough sleep to last me a week."

The adults shuffled awkwardly as Peter glared at them. Peter shifted his gaze to Bruce. "You wanted to show me something? Or is it someone?" Peter asked, looking angry and hopeful at the same time.

"Look at Bruce's arm, Petey," Morgan prompted.

And then something like the original plan fell into place. Peter was stunned to see that Professor Hulk no longer had a damaged arm. Then, Helen and Shuri explained how they worked together. They showed off their technology, and Peter listened. All the while, he continued to clutch Morgan's hand as the little girl provided him a significant amount of comfort.

Pepper could practically see the gears turning in Peter's head as he was putting everything together. The teenager then looked up at Pepper suddenly.

"There was no body," He stated suddenly, looking at Pepper.

"What?" She asked, narrowing her eyes in a little confusion at Peter's odd statement.

"Tony's funeral," Peter said, taking a step in her direction. "There was no body. You brought him here, didn't you?"

Pepper glanced down at the floor towards Tony briefly. He remained crouched on the floor, looking like he was trying to decide the right moment to reveal himself.

"We thought we owed it to him to try something," another voice said, entering the lab.

Peter turned to see T'Challa entering the lab. He was also surprised to see Dr. Strange walking alongside of him.

"We brought him here. I opened a portal and helped Shuri stabilize him." Strange said.

"Yes," Shuri said. "We may not have been able to repair the brain damage without him."

Peter could feel his heart pounding. It was so loud that his own heartbeat made his ears ring. The room started spinning. Could this be happening? Had they really brought Iron Man back to life? Despite the ringing in his ears, he picked up the sound of groaning and some shuffling back by Pepper behind the table.

Before Peter turned around, he heard the voice he longed to hear say, "Ugh… I'm getting a little too old for that. I need to get FRIDAY to add squats to my workout routine."

Peter's heart skipped a beat, maybe two beats, as he slowly turned to look towards that voice. When he finally saw the man, Peter let out a sound that was something between a whimper and a gasp. He felt Morgan squeeze his hand. "It's ok, Petey. It's just Daddy," she told him.

Tony and Peter locked eyes. Peter's eyes were filled with so many emotions that Tony felt completely lost for words. Which was new for him… Tony always had something clever to say. Instead, he just went with, "Hey, Pete."

Peter let out a little choking noise and said, "Hey," in response. Peter had to stop himself from crying. He looked around at all the people watching him, and felt self conscious.

He looked back and saw Clint, Scott, Sam, Bucky, and Steve standing in the door. Happy soon slipped through the group of men and slipped into the lab. "Hey, kid! Uh… surprise!" Happy gestured back towards Tony.

Peter shook his head and looked back at Tony. It was unreal to see him standing there. He looked nearly as good as he remembered. There were some scars on the right side of his face, however. Peter guessed that the scars continued down his arm as well. He noticed Pepper, Shuri, Helen, Bruce, T'Challa, and Strange studying him closely. He was at war with his emotions. He didn't know what to feel or think. He looked down at Morgan and gently removed his hand from hers. He stepped away, suddenly feeling the need to leave the lab. He needed to move away from all these eyes that were looking at him. It made him feel too exposed.

Peter shook his head some more and backing away, his breathing erratic.

"Pete? Kid?" Tony called to him. "It's okay!"

Peter continued to back towards the door when Happy stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "Peter… it's really him, alright? Everything is fine… see?" He gestured back towards Tony in hopes of demonstrating just how fine things were going to be.

And then Peter snapped. Tony saw the exact moment when rage took the forefront of Peter's emotions. A fire entered his eyes as he suddenly had Happy pinned hard up against the wall.

"EVERYTHING IS FINE?!" Peter shouted, making Morgan shriek and run into Pepper's arms.

"Kid… Pete… STOP!" Tony shouted, moving in the young man's direction.

Bucky and Sam immediately jumped into action, pulling Peter off of Happy. It was a significant display of Peter's full strength as it took both men to pull him off and hold him back.

Happy coughed and slid to the floor. Tony rushed to his friend's side, looking up as Peter fought Sam and Bucky.

Peter stopped fighting, but Sam and Bucky each kept a hand on Peter's shoulders.

Peter was panting, eyes staring at Happy and Tony. "How long?" He cried out. "How long did you know about this Happy?"

Happy was panting and trying to catch his breath. Peter had definitely knocked the air out of him, and he wouldn't be surprised if he had a cracked rib or two. "I c-called," Happy choked out.

Peter's mind flashed to the call he had ignored when sitting with May almost two weeks ago now. "So… you knew?!" He went to step forward, but Sam and Bucky held him back. Peter glared at Happy, "You knew they had the technology here to bring people back from the dead, and you didn't tell me?!" Peter's voice was growing louder with each word. His anger turning from rage to anguish. "You let me cremate my aunt without telling me that I could bring her back?!" Tears pooled in Peter's eyes. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Tony stood up, "Pete… hold on…"

"No!" Peter said. "You don't get to talk right now! He needs to speak for himself! He should've told me!"

Happy pulled himself to his feet carefully. "I… I w-wanted to tell you." Happy leaned against the wall behind him, still panting. It wasn't every day that a super-human pushed him hard into a wall. "I knew that it… it was too late, Peter. I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?" Peter repeated, tears slipping down his cheeks.

"Peter…" Dr. Strange stepped forward. "This technology has to be used within a certain time frame. Mr. Hogan is telling you the truth. By the time he arrived, it was too late."

Peter turned his fury on the sorcerer, "So why didn't you open a portal for him to get there faster?!"

"It still would've been too late," Strange told him.

"HOW DO YOU KNOW?!" Peter raised his voice again.

"I've seen many things, Peter. I'm afraid this was just…" Strange eyed Peter, attempting to be gentle while speaking the truth. "It was her time, Peter."

"Her time?" Peter asked, anger still evident in his voice. "It was her time to die? Is that what you're telling me? There are people here who bring the dead back to life, but my aunt wasn't worth your time or something? It was just her time to go?" Peter glared at the other people in the room. "What if she had been an Avenger? Would you feel the same way?" Peter tried to push away the instinct to break down in tears. "Just say it… you let her die because she wasn't important to you." Peter pulled himself free from Sam and Bucky and hurried to the door, wanting desperately to get out of the lab. He didn't want to crumble in front of so many people.

Peter was pushing past Steve, Scott, and Clint when he turned back to all of them and added, "But she was important to me." With one last look of disapproval at the others, he finished pushing by Steve, Scott, and Clint and stormed off.

"Kid!" Tony called, moving to follow him.

Sam stopped him. "Don't. We need to let him go. He needs to work through his anger on his own for a bit."

Tony looked like he wanted to argue. He watched as Peter left his sight, and then turned to the others. Everyone had mixed reactions. Some looked shocked; others looked uncomfortable. Morgan looked a little scared. Happy looked guilty. "Let him cool down, Hap. He'll understand once he's calmed down."

Happy lowered his head, "I shouldn't have kept him in the dark. I should've explained sooner."

"You know that wouldn't have worked," Pepper told him. "It's a difficult situation all around."

"The timing of things is most unfortunate," Strange spoke up. "And yet… it is unavoidable. Things are unfolding as they are meant to be. Peter will need all of you. I'm afraid his trials are only beginning."

"Here we go again. The wizard is speaking in riddles," Tony said in frustration. "You know… the last time you spoke in riddles, I died!"

"Temporarily," Strange elaborated.

"That's beside the point," Tony told him.

"I have to agree," Steve said. "Dr. Strange… If you know something, you should the team. Peter is an important part of this team, and we need to protect our own."

"Some things need to happen, captain. We learn the most about ourselves during our greatest trials," the sorcerer said.

"Bullshit!" Tony argued. "I agree with the old man. It's our job to protect the kid."

Strange opened a portal. "All things will become clear when the time is right." In the blink of an eye, he stepped through the portal and disappeared.

"Hey!" Tony called, attempting to follow the man through his portal but failing.

"Shit," Morgan muttered, earning a glare from her mother. Pepper looked at Tony, "You really need to stop cursing around our daughter."

Tony sighed and stared in the direction in which Peter had left. He shared a look with Sam, who tried to give Tony a reassuring look in return. Morgan's language, however, described this situation perfectly. It was really shitty. But if anyone was going to save Peter from self-destruction, it was going to be Tony. He was alive, and now he would be the one to revive Peter.

Whatever it takes.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the delay. I'm hoping there aren't too many mistakes in this chapter. I felt like I made you wait long enough and I didn't want to delay it any longer. Stay tuned. Tony and Peter heart-warming moments are coming up next. **


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